Bound

Chapter Ten

These were all of the questions being shouted at me in just a span of a minute after getting out. I leaned over Eleanor covering her from the flashes, which I'm sure she wasn't used to. I didn't plan on answering their questions knowing they would find out sooner or later. I led her across the throng of reporters and into the safe haven of the hotel lobby. 

"Wow, is that the life of a Jenkins?" Eleanor breathed out rubbing her eyes. "Kind of death-threatening, don't you think?"

I chuckled and lead her across to the ballroom entryway. I placed my hand on the back of her revealed back feeling the warmth her skin was emitting off. The young part of me wanted to do nothing more but feel her in places other than her back. I swallowed trying to reign my hormones in. 

"As my wife, you'll be getting used to it," I stated pulling her into the opened ballroom doors where the party was already in full swing.

There were many round tables scattered around the sides leaving the middle of the room the dance floor. There was a make-shift stage situated at the end of the room for the official announcement of I being the new CEO of British Airways. I greeted a few people briefly whom I passed with a shy Eleanor right by my side. I was also planning on making the personal announcement of my marriage with her. It wasn't necessarily a surprise; the tabloids covered my marriage from what they knew and/or added into the story. I just thought it would confirm all suspicions.

"Oh wow Parker," Eleanor murmured in appreciation. "I'm glad you've put me through the sufferings of all those stylists. If you haven't, I would look like a complete outcast. Everyone looks so formal and superficial. Is the Queen here or something?"

I laughed and led her to the table near the front where I spotted Agatha and my father sitting down chatting with a couple of the share holders in the company. Agatha was the first to spot us and stood up a smile brightening her face.

"Elle, sweetheart!" She exclaimed rushing over to us. "Oh you look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you," Eleanor replied her muscles relaxing at the sight of a familiar face. "I could say the same to you."

"I'm kind of hurt, Agatha. Usually I was the first one you would greet," I teased kissing her on the cheek. 

"I'm just smitten with your wife is all," she winked and pulled both of us to the table. "Thomas, dear. Your son and his wife arrived."

"Parker," my father greeted me with a nod stopping his conversation with the shareholders. Then he looked over to Eleanor right beside me with an impassive expression crossing his face. I was sure he would greet her with something inappropriate but that would be thinking so low of my father whom acts professionally around business figures. "It's nice to see you again Eleanor."

"Good evening Mr. Jenkins," she greeted him politely with no waver in her voice. I smiled at her proudly. 

"Mr. Foster, Mr. Parsons," I greeted the shareholders with a handshake. "Thank you for coming. Where are your beautiful families?"

"They're already seated," the gray-haired Mr. Foster told me with a smile. "Now I'm sure this is the one and only wife of yours?" He acknowledged Eleanor.

"I would love for you two to meet my wife, Eleanor," I grinned. "Eleanor, Mr. Parsons and Mr. Foster. Two of our biggest share holders in the company."

She gave them a firm handshake with a warm smile on her face. "Very nice to meet you two gentlemen."

"Likewise," Mr. Foster, the younger of the two, replied. "Ah, well. We better get going to our seats. We'll be waiting for the official announcement of you becoming CEO, Parker."